Western Expansion And Industrial Growth In The United States

The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865 and had profound effects on the United States. This war contributed to the Western expansion and economic and industrial growth in the United States of America in the decades following the Civil War. This was achieved by a number of things such as the construction of the transcontinental railroad, granting settlers public land, and technological improvements. Those along with other things played a pivotal role in shaping the United States as it emerged from the conflict and embarked on a new journey towards Western expansion, economic prosperity, and industrial development. Transcontinental railroads played a key part in the country's economy like no other. It aided with the transportation of goods, increased communications, as well as connecting vast regions of the United States such as the East Coast to the Western frontier. The

Manufacturing processes led to a massive production capacity, this expansion was fueled by technological innovations such as steam engines, mechanized textile, and steel production as well as the development of new machinery and tools. The new machinery and tools ramped up production and cut prices of labor which made items cheaper for consumers which in return also assisted the economy. For example, “Using these improved processes, inventors developed new products—telephones, typewriters, phonographs, adding machines, sewing machines, cameras, zippers, farm machinery—which resulted in lower prices for an array of consumer items” (Shi 762). The Western expansion was greatly aided by technological developments in communication and transportation. Additionally, it made it possible for the sharing of ideas and information, which was essential for the exploration, settling, and growth of the